It all began with a distraught Sharon attempting to process the fact Phil Mitchell is the father of Denise Fox’s baby, but the conversation soon turned to Michelle’s personal life, when she revealed that her husband, Tim, is no longer interested in having sex with her.

As Jenna Russell’s character shared her problems, tensions grew between the old friends, and Michelle ended up making some regrettable comments and storming out.

When Sharon then found her sat on Arthur’s bench, she demanded the real story, scolding her for the harsh words she’d uttered just moments before, saying: “You’ve always had a nasty streak. Tell me the truth. What have you done?”

BBC PicturesWe're not sure everyone else in Walford would be as forgiving as Sharon...

“I fell in love, madly, like an idiot,” Michelle admitted, adding: “A whole year together, we were obssesed.

“He couldn’t keep his hands off me, but it wasn’t just about sex.”

Then came the big revelation, when she admitted they planned to run away together, concluding: “But his mum found his case and came into school… demanded my immediate resignation.”

After berating her, Sharon managed to get Michelle to admit how old her secret lover was, but despite initially seeming suitably annoyed, she appeared to forgive her friend just as the credits rolled.

The news means Sharon is now keeping two huge secrets - this, and the fact Phil is about to become a dad again - and while bosses are keeping what happens next under wraps, we can’t see them staying private for long…